I have always loved Leon Russell. His tunes are just so insanely powerful. From Stranger In A Strange Land, to This Masquerade, not to mention his brilliant cover of Girl From The North Country on Mad Dogs and Englishmen, they are all so great, but A Song For You is the hands down greatest song ever as far as emotional tour de forces go.

This particular version of A Song For You just slays me. This was recorded just three days prior to the death of Ray Charles from cancer and the emotion with which he sings here is palpable. Just watch Willie's reaction to Ray's words. If you don't shed some tears while watching this then you have no soul.

Fooking brilliant!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sXGT0WhFnU&feature=related



Riffy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzl_3HNgQws

I've always loved this song. I think even Cher recorded it.

Gotta say that song is up there in my favorites too, Riffy.   And Leon Russell's performance with Ray Charles is one for the books!

It's one of my faves, too, Riffy. I think you're officially a "softie" now. [smiley=wink.gif]

GTRM: great song. Those were the good old days, when people could still light up in a studio, huh?

Too downbeat Riffy, I hate being "gutwrenched", its not a mood I tune into easily.

Ten Thousand Motels wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:31pm:

Too downbeat Riffy, I hate being "gutwrenched", its not a mood I tune into easily.

I have always felt that this song was a good emotional tune. I don't find it downbeat at all. It's more of an emotional catharsis if you ask me. At least that's the way I have always perceived it.


Riffy

Riffhard wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:36pm:

Ten Thousand Motels wrote on Jan 18th, 2009 at 12:31pm: Too downbeat Riffy, I hate being "gutwrenched", its not a mood I tune into easily. I have always felt that this song was a good emotional tune. I don't find it downbeat at all. It's more of an emotional catharsis if you ask me. At least that's the way I have always perceived it. Riffy

Well...perception is reality, they say. Leon Russell isn't eactly the easiest artist to try to understand. And if it ain't easy, I usually try to avoid it.

Well, you're clearly much more perceptive than Motels & not just about 1 song, either.

I have to say that losing Willie Nelson on this song would have been addition via subtraction.

wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:55pm:

Well, you're clearly much more perceptive than Motels & not just about 1 song, either.

There's nothing wrong with being soft.

Soft in the head? We have enough of that!

Graet song..thanks for sharing. One of my fave gut wrenchers has always been Etta James "At Last"....

Any song by the "Vengaboys" was gut wrenching.

Thanks for sharing that, riffy.  I believe "A Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge.  Leon Russell is one of my favorite artists and doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a songwriter IMO.  You mentioned the exquisite "This Masquerade"; "Hummingbird" (a great B.B. King cover) and "Delta Lady" (I like Leon's original better than Joe Cocker's version) are just a couple of other examples of Leon at his best.  

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Jan 19^th, 2009 at 12:25am:

Thanks for sharing that, riffy.  I believe "A Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge.  Leon Russell is one of my favorite artists and doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a songwriter IMO.  You mentioned the exquisite "This Masquerade"; "Hummingbird" (a great B.B. King cover) and "Delta Lady" (I like Leon's original better than Joe Cocker's version) are just a couple of other examples of Leon at his best.

Yeah, it's a great tune, but it was in fact written by Leon. I should also mention that the video that I posted was from the Willie and Friends concert from April 2003. Ray Charles actually died in June of 2004. So while this was not his last performance ever, it was his last performance with Willie Nelson, and it obviously was very moving for Willie.


Other tunes by Leon Russell that I love include Roll Away The Stone, Back To The Island, Lady Blue, Magic Mirror, and, of course, Tightrope. He also wrote Beware Of Darkness from George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. He is a great songwriter and is a great performer as well. I strongly recommend going to check him out should he visit your area. His version of Jumping Jack Flash/Younblood from Leon Live is the stuff of legend!



Riffy

AC/DC's "Love at First Feel" is one of my favorite emotional songs.

Makes me cry every time I hear it!

:Youmakeagrownmancrylikejoey

Riffhard wrote on Jan 19^th, 2009 at 1:40pm:

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Jan 19th, 2009 at 12:25am: Thanks for sharing that, riffy.  I believe "A Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge.  Leon Russell is one of my favorite artists and doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a songwriter IMO.  You mentioned the exquisite "This Masquerade"; "Hummingbird" (a great B.B. King cover) and "Delta Lady" (I like Leon's original better than Joe Cocker's version) are just a couple of other examples of Leon at his best.   Yeah, it's a great tune, but it was in fact written by Leon. I should also mention that the video that I posted was from the Willie and Friends concert from April 2003. Ray Charles actually died in June of 2004. So while this was not his last performance ever, it was his last performance with Willie Nelson, and it obviously was very moving for Willie. Other tunes by Leon Russell that I love include Roll Away The Stone, Back To The Island, Lady Blue, Magic Mirror, and, of course, Tightrope. He also wrote Beware Of Darkness from George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. He is a great songwriter and is a great performer as well. I strongly recommend going to check him out should he visit your area. His version of Jumping Jack Flash/Younblood from Leon Live is the stuff of legend! Riffy

You misread me, man.  I said the song was written for Rita Coolidge, not by her.  She and Leon were an item for a while when she first hit LA, but she said things were a little too wild for her.  "Delta Lady" was also inspired by Rita.  Carney, source of "Tight Rope," "Magic Mirror" and "This Masquerade" (and nine other great tunes, including "Out In the Woods," "If the Shoe Fits" and "My Cricket"), has been a favorite of mine since it came out--a month after Exile.  I've also been lucky enough to see Leon perform in small venues a couple of times over the years.  Thanks again for honoring him.

Great performance! I've always been a HUGE Leon fan.

I'll never forget coming home from work on my 20th birthday and seeing Leon Live on my bed---bold, beautiful, and unwrapped! My 16 year old brother had sprung for it and bought it for me {cost something like $11 which was a LOT back then}. I played that 3 record album every day for months and months on end...